Stressors in ICU: patients' evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To study the physical and psychological stressors in the intensive care unit (ICU) and to correlate stressors with different demographic variables.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analytical survey.


METHODS
Intensive care unit of a private hospital.


METHODS
50 randomly selected ICU patients during the first week of their ICU stay.


RESULTS
The Intensive Care Unit Environmental Stressor Scale was administered to 50 patients. Pain and the impossibility of sleeping due to noise and having tubes in the nose and mouth were considered the most important physical stressors. Loss of self control and lack of understanding about the attitudes and procedures were the main psychological stressors.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions should be aimed at relieving the patient's pain and at controlling the level of noise to make sleep possible. From the psychological standpoint, the independence of the patient should be encouraged, thus stimulating the recovery of self-control. The team should also inform the patient about the procedures which will be carried out.
Novaes
M A
MA
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Centro de Terapia Intensiva, São Paulo, Brazil. novaes@ibm.net
Aronovich
A
A
Ferraz
M B
MB
Knobel
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires